Garden plants have a taste for Epsom salt

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Since February is considered the start of spring in Southern California gardens, with the first daffodils blooming and cold-weather food crops coming along, it's a good time for an occasional discussion about Epsom salt.

I get more mail about Epsom salt than anything else.

It's too bad that Epsom salt has the word “salt” in the name. Epsom salt has nothing to do with table salt and more to do with the chemical structure of this form of magnesium sulfate.

Magnesium in the garden is a vital plant nutrient that helps seeds germinate better, prompts plants to produce flower and fruiting buds, roses to grow new canes, and promotes overall health of most plants by aiding in the absorption of other nutrients.

If your African violets refuse to bloom after many months, a warm, Epsom salt drench will get them going.

Epsom salt is named for the region where it was discovered in the 1600s – Epsom, England – by a dairy farmer who found that his cows didn't like it much, but that it worked wonders for his health. A spa town was born.

Today Epsom salt is easy to find at your favorite pharmacy. Buy one big bag for you, and one for the garden.

There are two ways to use Epsom salt in the landscape. Dissolve some in a bucket of water and use as a drench, or sprinkle on top of the soil and let the watering or rain move it downward.

The Epsom Salt Council recommends these amounts, although I use it haphazardly, since most gardeners believe you can't overdo it.

Houseplants – 2 tablespoons to a gallon of water. Apply once a month.

Tomatoes and peppers – 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. Apply every two weeks.

Roses – 1 dry tablespoon to each hole at planting time. Half a cup sprinkled dry around the root zone of established roses in spring.

I used to be a drencher, but since hauling around a gallon-size bucket of water is heavy, I've turned into a sprinkler lately. I sprinkle dry Epsom salt everywhere flowers grow, in the same fashion as salting food, and let the rains water it in.

You can consume magnesium sulfate in the form of Epsom salt, and the packaging even tells you how. But expect some serious laxative results, in the same way Milk of Magnesia works.

I take a long, hot bath in Epsom salt about once a week. One cup to a tub full of water and I stay in as long as I can — at least 12 minutes is recommended.

According to the Epsom Salt Council, we don't readily absorb magnesium from our food, although it is easily absorbed through the skin.

Magnesium not only helps sore muscles recover faster, it provides a boost of energy the next day. And just like with plants, magnesium sulfate helps us absorb other nutrients better.

More isn't better when it comes to your health. After all, magnesium is a laxative, and you can also get that result by soaking. Use it once or twice a week at the most, and check with your doctor if you have health concerns.

I've discovered a new use for Epsom salt: floral arrangements.

Fill a clear glass bowl with Epsom salt, and then poke pretty bare branches into it. These wintry-looking arrangements lend a sort of sparkly look for tabletops. Recycle into the garden, later.

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